Day: 21
Where: Yoga Room
Type of Yoga: Hatha I & II
Time: 90 min.
Wow. Last night's yoga class was amazing.
I was fortunate enough to have my "yogi mentor", of sorts, as my teacher. (she's is also quite amazing):
Elizabeth Rowan Yoga Lifestyle
She worked me. She worked me hard y'all. No joke.
I paid attention to my body and didn't push anywhere I shouldn't have gone. I was challenged yet not strained, I was pushing past the point where I previously was, but not in pain. I was blush-faced, sweaty and blissfully happy.
I don't know if it was the amazing vibe of the class (and it was truly truly amazing, just some of the best collection of people I have been in a class with to date), or my continued releasing of myself and the negative thought patterns and behaviors that no longer serve me, or Krishna Das in the background, or my fantastic teacher at the helm, or a perfect combo of all of these things. All I know is I was at a "soul level" last night, and I am struggling a bit with the words.
There was no pretentiousness. There was no competition. This was in large part from Elizabeth, who lovingly reminded me (and at the perfect times) to not compare myself to the person on the mat next to me...because I do that. I so totally pretend that I don't do that, but I do that. There was no fear of what I looked like...I knew I looked crazy, I was shedding layers of clothes and undoing and redoing my hair in walk-of-shame-esque positions just to get it the hell out of my way. I didn't care. I was IN I was HOOKED I was present and alone with YOGA.
It was a challenge. At one point I thought, "How long have we been doing this?" That five minute time period felt like an eternity. By the time we were ready for Savasana, I was spent. My body had nothing to say. My mind was completely quiet. My heart did the talking. This is yet another layer of what I adore about the practice of yoga. It is really spirit in action wrapped up in a package of physical fitness. You think you are getting involved for the physical changes and for most of us, that is probably 80-90 percent of the motivation to do it in the first place. But...then this other thing starts to happen, and for me, the physical change is now not the motivation. The physical is a current block for me. I am now doing yoga to clear the physical block to go further with yoga. I want to go further with yoga to go deeper into me. My current physical body is now feeling like a coat, a puffy winter coat and we are deep in spring.
I love, love, love how different teachers give you such great perspectives. Last night something so simple as the following instructions:
"Let (on the inhale)"
"Go (with the exhale)"
changed everything.
I had a moving experience in Savasana last night that I am not confident enough to share details about at this point. It was a very touching vision of sorts. Yes vision, you read right. I have deleted and retyped and deleted that word about five freaking times, but I'm sticking with it...it was a vision. At the very end, I had some tears, not sobbing or in hysterics but a quiet releasing of sorts. I am not alone in this. I have searched the internet and checked in with my yogi mentor and both of those sources have calmed me down and assured me that this is normal. I am finally tuning in, they tell me, to my soul. Apparently it has a lot to say. It has a lot to heal.
Last night I actually fell asleep without my mind like a monkey.
I:
"Let (on the inhale)"
"Go (with the exhale)"
On the couch, out like a light. Never turned over once. I thought that only happened from booze. Bonus, woke up refreshed with no back pain from the couch and no hangover.
Oh yoga, you are my new best friend. Vodka, we may have a problem.
Today and tomorrow on Twitter I will be posting different poses courtesy of Elizabeth, to keep me engaged and incorporating yoga throughout the next two days. And to hopefully loosen up my upper thighs/quads. Follow me:
Vodka Yoga Mama on Twitter
and feel free to join in. Post some of your poses, if you like! I plan to also post a downloadable chart with these poses at some point to share.
Time: 90 min.
Wow. Last night's yoga class was amazing.
I was fortunate enough to have my "yogi mentor", of sorts, as my teacher. (she's is also quite amazing):
Elizabeth Rowan Yoga Lifestyle
She worked me. She worked me hard y'all. No joke.
I paid attention to my body and didn't push anywhere I shouldn't have gone. I was challenged yet not strained, I was pushing past the point where I previously was, but not in pain. I was blush-faced, sweaty and blissfully happy.
I don't know if it was the amazing vibe of the class (and it was truly truly amazing, just some of the best collection of people I have been in a class with to date), or my continued releasing of myself and the negative thought patterns and behaviors that no longer serve me, or Krishna Das in the background, or my fantastic teacher at the helm, or a perfect combo of all of these things. All I know is I was at a "soul level" last night, and I am struggling a bit with the words.
There was no pretentiousness. There was no competition. This was in large part from Elizabeth, who lovingly reminded me (and at the perfect times) to not compare myself to the person on the mat next to me...because I do that. I so totally pretend that I don't do that, but I do that. There was no fear of what I looked like...I knew I looked crazy, I was shedding layers of clothes and undoing and redoing my hair in walk-of-shame-esque positions just to get it the hell out of my way. I didn't care. I was IN I was HOOKED I was present and alone with YOGA.
It was a challenge. At one point I thought, "How long have we been doing this?" That five minute time period felt like an eternity. By the time we were ready for Savasana, I was spent. My body had nothing to say. My mind was completely quiet. My heart did the talking. This is yet another layer of what I adore about the practice of yoga. It is really spirit in action wrapped up in a package of physical fitness. You think you are getting involved for the physical changes and for most of us, that is probably 80-90 percent of the motivation to do it in the first place. But...then this other thing starts to happen, and for me, the physical change is now not the motivation. The physical is a current block for me. I am now doing yoga to clear the physical block to go further with yoga. I want to go further with yoga to go deeper into me. My current physical body is now feeling like a coat, a puffy winter coat and we are deep in spring.
I love, love, love how different teachers give you such great perspectives. Last night something so simple as the following instructions:
"Let (on the inhale)"
"Go (with the exhale)"
changed everything.
I had a moving experience in Savasana last night that I am not confident enough to share details about at this point. It was a very touching vision of sorts. Yes vision, you read right. I have deleted and retyped and deleted that word about five freaking times, but I'm sticking with it...it was a vision. At the very end, I had some tears, not sobbing or in hysterics but a quiet releasing of sorts. I am not alone in this. I have searched the internet and checked in with my yogi mentor and both of those sources have calmed me down and assured me that this is normal. I am finally tuning in, they tell me, to my soul. Apparently it has a lot to say. It has a lot to heal.
Last night I actually fell asleep without my mind like a monkey.
I:
"Let (on the inhale)"
"Go (with the exhale)"
On the couch, out like a light. Never turned over once. I thought that only happened from booze. Bonus, woke up refreshed with no back pain from the couch and no hangover.
Oh yoga, you are my new best friend. Vodka, we may have a problem.
Today and tomorrow on Twitter I will be posting different poses courtesy of Elizabeth, to keep me engaged and incorporating yoga throughout the next two days. And to hopefully loosen up my upper thighs/quads. Follow me:
Vodka Yoga Mama on Twitter
and feel free to join in. Post some of your poses, if you like! I plan to also post a downloadable chart with these poses at some point to share.
No comments:
Post a Comment
I'd love to hear your thoughts or opinions and give you the chance to share your experiences! Post your comments here: